Prognostic value of lymphoscintigraphy in patients with gynecological cancer-related lymphedema.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

We investigated the prognostic value of qualitative lymphoscintigraphy in gynecological cancer-related lymphedema, which is a common complication after treatment.

METHODS

All 152 patients underwent (99m) Tc tin-colloid lymphoscintigraphy before complex decongestive therapy (CDT). We analyzed the uptake patterns of the inguinal lymph nodes, main lymphatic vessel and collateral lymphatic vessels, as well as dermal back flow. We compared these lymphoscintigraphic findings and other clinical variables between good and poor therapeutic responders using Pearson's Chi-squared test, Fisher's exact test and multiple logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

Eighty-nine patients (58.6%) had a poor therapeutic response to CDT. In univariate analysis, there were significant differences between good and poor responders in clinical stage (P < 0.001), therapy compliance (P < 0.001), main lymphatic vessel uptake pattern (P < 0.01), collateral lymphatic vessel uptake pattern (P < 0.01) and severity of dermal back flow (P < 0.001). After multivariate analysis, only severity of dermal back flow (P < 0.005), clinical stage (P < 0.05) and therapy compliance (P < 0.001) were found to be independent predictors of therapeutic response.

CONCLUSIONS

Lymphoscintigraphy may be useful to predict the outcome of patients with gynecological cancer-related lymphedema undergoing CDT along with clinical stage and compliance.